Resident Evil: Genesis of Apocalypse
by Chase Samson
Summary: The start to all the madness. Before the Umbrella Corporation doomed Raccoon City into oblivion, Rebecca Chambers started her first day with the RPD S.T.A.R.S. team. Follow her adventurous nightmare on the come up through the darkest part of her young life as she battles hordes of Undead, monsters and mutants. Will she survive, or will she fall prey to Umbrella's clutches? Read!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

"This is the moment you have all been waiting for, ladies and gentleman! The time has come for Wexler University to introduce the graduating class of 1998's, valedictorian!" Dean Harrison loosened his tie as he prepared himself for the inevitable. All of a sudden, I felt sweat roll down both my armpits like someone shoved a popsicle in between them. Geez I was nervous…

I looked at him, hoping to see if I could catch the image of my reflection bouncing off his coke bottle glasses, but I failed, miserably.

"The valedictorian of the class of 1998 is...Rebecca Chambers!" As soon as he said my name, I felt my stomach touch my knees. To think that I would be this nervous for some useless accolade that will likely get me nowhere, just went to show me how much of a nervous wreck I'd become over the past few months.

"Come on up, Rebecca!" he said as he waved me up on stage. My mom and dad looked at me the way proud parents did, but they were also pretty nonchalant about being there. Not that I could blame them. Graduations were a form of cruel and unusual punishment for us students, not matter how sweet my parents tried to make it seem.

I rested my palms on the arm rests, pushing myself up. Unlike my mom, I had a _really_ hard time walking in heels, and I knew it would be both painful and embarrassing to walk up the stairs to the stage. She convinced me to dress very ladylike for the occasion, even though I protested for hours. It was a battle I lost before it even got started.

Doing my best to ignore the mounting discomfort in my aching heel, I trudged towards the stage. With each step followed a clumsy wobble. If I could get out of this moment without falling on my face, I would be eternally grateful.

Dean Harrison seemed to have noticed that I was not my usual self, so he extended a hand as I reached the top rung. "Congratulations, Rebecca!" he boomed into the small microphone clipped onto his blazer. My ears rung for a moment, but not before I felt my body get hot.

Now, as I was looking over everyone in my graduating class looking back at me, if there were ever a time for me to embarrass myself, this would be it.

"You have made your parents, your school, your community, and your peers very proud by graduating at the top of your class, Rebecca. Is there anything you would like to share with the rest of your classmates?"

I swallowed hard. He'd made me rehearse my speech for what seemed like a million times, but now that everyone was here, I was totally clueless as to what I was going to say.

My speech was already laid out on the podium. All I had to do was rest my eyes on it, let my brain do the work, and my mouth relay the message. Dean Harrison kindly stepped aside, wiping the sweat beading from his bald, wrinkling head before it got into his eyes. I stepped up, took a deep breath, but not before I stole a glance at my parents, who both had expectant looks on their faces. My eyes rolled back down to my speech as I gripped the sides of the podium, not even realizing how white my knuckles had turned.

"It's been a long and difficult journey, these past couple of years. When I came to Wexler as thirteen year old college freshman, you were all strangers to me. A child amongst grown ups. Throughout that time, I have slowly, but surely, disregarded the terms of 'stranger' and 'kid' as my time here started to pass." My heart was beating so fast I thought I was going to pass out. Not once did I even look up to see how hard I knew everyone was looking. It would had completely freaked me out.

I took another deep breath, and loosened the collar on my blouse. "We have all become friends. Some of you have even adopted me as family. Family is something that means a lot to me in this world. Without family, I wouldn't be where I am today, which is among the rest of you. You all have become my family. With you, I've learned to become a responsible adult. One who takes pride in what she does, never one to leave a stone unturned, and for that, I thank you. As a way of showing my gratitude towards you all, I wanted to take a moment to say that when this day is over, no matter what happens, I will be proud of each and every last one of you, because you put in the time, effort and energy to make this day happen, not only for you as individuals, but for us all, as a family."

The auditorium was dreadfully silent. _Had I bored them to sleep?_

"I only wish that from this day forward, we all grow together, to create a promising future for the rest of the world. To show that with a strong family, impossible is nothing. God bless, and I love you all."

Before I could muster the strength to lift my head up, my ears were met with the roar of a standing ovation. As I looked up, I saw everyone in the audience, on their feet, giving me a wild round of applause.

It was at that moment that I realized that when you touched the soul of a person with genuine emotion, impossible really was nothing.


	2. Chapter 2

After nearly collapsing on stage from the combination of stage fright and natural nervousness, I found my way back to my seat, allowing my heart beat to get back at its regular rate.

My mom laid a hand on my arm, flashing me a warm smile. Warmer than I'd seen in a long time. "You did, Rebecca. I'm very proud of you."

"Thanks, mom. It really means a lot to hear that from you."

With my mom being a lawyer, her occupation kept her away from home a majority of the time. It was the biggest reason why I was an only child. Growing up, I always wanted a little brother or sister, but my pleas feel on deaf ears. Yet, as I look into my mom's eyes, regardless of how absent she'd been from my life, I knew that she meant every word that she said.

A sudden shot of pain ran from my heel up to the back of my calf. My body's way of telling me to take these awful heels off. Gingerly slipping them from my feet, I rubbed each heel for what seemed like forever and a day until my dad cleared his throat.

"What do you want to do when this is over?"

I mulled the idea for only a moment. "Visiting the podiatrist would be a good start."

Dad flashed me a warm smile, and wrapped me in a hug. He kissed me on the forehead, and said, "Congratulations, sweetie. You've earned it."

"Thank you, daddy. I'm happy that you were able to make it."

"You didn't think I'd miss my only child's college graduation, did you?"

It would have been easy to say yes if he hadn't missed every other milestone in my life, but now wasn't the time to cry over spilled milk. I was just happy that both of my busy as heck parents were here. And civil to each other.

"Of course not. I didn't doubt you for one second."

Now that I was back in a comfortable pair of sneakers and jeans, I tossed my graduation outfit in the backseat of my dad's truck, hoping to never have to wear a pair of heels again. My parents were already sitting in the front seat as I was getting ready to hop in the back.

"Rebecca! Wait up!"

I stopped as I was halfway inside. Sharon Moss was running towards me, her red hair flowing like a fireball on a crusade.

"You're just going to leave like that?" she said, trying to catch her breath. "I thought you said you were coming to the diner with the rest of us after graduation. For old times sake."

Sharon was my best friend all throughout college, but lately, she started hanging out with the wrong crowd. A crowd that I wanted no part of. I wasn't into drinking and smoking pot, but she fell into that with her new friends. It showed in her grades, but despite that, I couldn't leave her behind. At least not academically.

"I'm sorry, Sharon. I'm pretty drained. I just like to go home and relax."

She frowned as she stared into my eyes. She knew me well enough to know when I was giving her the okie doke. "Okay. I'll see you around, then."

One thing I learned that day was to never forget who your friends are. Apparently, Sharon didn't get that same memo.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

_Two months later__…_

It wasn't everyday that an eighteen year old college graduate gets their dream job right out of the gate. Then again, I don't know any other eighteen year old college graduates.

Nonetheless, my time at Wexler put me in prime position to earn my Master's degree in Chemistry, with a minor in medicine. I would be the first to admit my gluttony for science. Ever since I was a little girl, all I wanted to be was a doctor, just like my dad. In our small town of Opine, just a few miles from Raccoon City, my dad was the most well known physician there was.

A lot of people would day that I got my genius from him, but as good as I had done in school, I still couldn't compare to what he accomplished. I'd have plenty of time to catch up, though.

I wanted to be a doctor, just like him, but I felt that even in a place like Raccoon City, being a doctor just wasn't enough. I needed something else. Something that would balance me out physically and mentally. Much to my mother's chagrin, I signed up for the police academy right after graduation. With the right work ethic and determination, I was putting myself in position to be a jack of all trades. Something I could truly be proud of and say was all mine.

Basic training wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be, and in just eight weeks, I found myself in Raccoon City, standing in front of the police station. A hot summer afternoon in July, I was both nervous and excited as I gripped the door handle to step inside. The air was cool and smelled faintly of oil. There were police officers everywhere, and even now, I felt out of sorts even being here.

I stepped up to the small receptionist desk, met by the awkward stare of a middle aged woman with glasses bigger than Dean Harrison's, resting on her face.

"Good afternoon," I said, a pitch higher than I intended. "I'm Rebecca Chambers, reporting for duty."

"You're the new girl in S.T.A.R.S.?" she said pointedly. "The medic, right?"

"That's me."

She scribbled something on a yellow piece of paper and handed it to me. "Second floor, West wing. Can't miss it."

I took the paper, but was barely able to read anything written on it. She did give me the directions, so I'd have to make the best of them.

Walking through the sea of RPD's finest, one of them pointed me in the right direction when it became obvious that I had a poor sense of navigation. I didn't always know left from right, let alone East from West.

I walked up a flight stairs, my eyes still trying to adjust to the seizure inducing scribble on the small slip of paper. So much so that I was completely oblivious to someone walking towards me from the opposite direction. I crashed right into them, and it felt like walking into a brick wall. The sudden stoppage of my momentum caused me to look _way_ up into the brown eyes of a senior officer.

"Oh my gosh!" I said, embarrassment all in my voice. "I am so sorry! I should have been watching where I was going!"

He put his massive hand up to stop me and stop I did. "Easy there, bright eyes. It's no big deal."

This guy was a _freakishly_ large man! He was well above six feet and built like a Greek god. He had muscles in places I didn't even think people had places...and I knew human anatomy very well! With skin as brown as a mocha brew, he stood out in more ways than one.

"Where are you headed?" he said in a surprisingly polite tone.

"I'm looking for the S.T.A.R.S. office. Today is my first day."

He fixed me with a broad smile. "Ahh, you must be Rebecca, the new medic. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Lieutenant Marshall."

He extended his hand to me and I took it. Needless to say, his hand swallowed my arm down past my wrist. It was a testament of two things: How freakish size in comparison to my small and slender frame.

"It's nice to meet you, too, sir," I said nervously. "Excuse me if I seem a bit overwhelmed."

"Nothing to be ashamed of. I was the same way when I was a rookie."

For no reason other than the obvious, I had a very difficult time believing that.

Marshall stepped to the side, his huge finger pointing in the direction of the hardwood door down the hall. "The S.T.A.R.S. office is right through there. Should still be some knuckleheads inside."

I regarded him with a friendly smile. "Thank you, sir."

"Good to have you aboard, Rebecca."

With that, Marshall disappeared down the stairs I just came up. Steeling the little bit of resolve I had left, I marched forward to the door, resting my hand on the knob for only a minute before I turned it.

When I stepped inside, everyone turned to the door, looking at me like I was lost.

"Hi," I said shyly, squeezing my arms closer to my body. I hated that nervous drip from armpits. "Is this the S.T.A.R.S. office?"

A young guy, a few years older than me, spun his chair in my direction. His short cropped hair, taut muscles and strong jaw, for whatever reason, made my body flush. That had _never_ happened to me before. I smiled to diffuse the awkwardness the best I could. "The one and only," he said, returning a smile. "And you are?"

"My name is Rebecca," I said, my voice catching fire in my throat. "Rebecca Chambers. I officially joined the team on Monday, but today is my first day on duty."

A young brunette woman with a blue beret and fierce blue eyes looked at me from her desk, then back at the young man. "That's odd. No one told us about any rookies coming on board." He said nothing, so she returned her steely gaze to me. "Were you assigned a particular unit?"

If there was anything on that yellow slip of paper I had that was partially legible, was the word BRAVO written on it. I reached into my pocket to dig it out, looking it over to confirm. "I'm not sure, but I think this says S.T.A.R.S. Bravo team," I said, scratching the back of my head. I then looked at them expectantly. "Are you two part of Bravo team?"

"No," the young man trying to stifle a chuckle, but failing. "If you're looking for Bravo team, you just missed them. You can catch them on the roof, on the heliport."

"Thank you," I said with a shy smile. "Excuse me if I'm being forward, but I didn't get your name."

"I'm Chris, and that's Jill," he said, thumbing over his broad shoulder. "We're part of the Alpha team."

"Cool!"

I started to feel a little more relaxed, knowing that I'd already met two of my comrades without having a nervous breakdown.

Jill got up from her seat, stretching her legs and arms until she heard the satisfying pop. "I'll show you to the roof. I need to get some blood pumping in these legs of mine, anyway."

"Thank you, Jill. I really appreciate that." I turned to face Chris, and said, "I'll see you later, Chris."

He waved at me. "Later, kiddo."

Normally, I hated being called "kiddo", or "shorty", or "little girl", but in the presence of these guys, I would not object because in the end, I was all of those things.


End file.
